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Track your weekly alcohol consumption and compare to health guidelines
| Country | Men (drinks/week) | Women (drinks/week) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA | ≤14 | ≤7 | No more than 2/day men, 1/day women |
| UK | ≤14 units | ≤14 units | Same for both sexes, spread over 3+ days |
| Australia | ≤10 | ≤10 | No more than 4 on any single day |
| Canada | ≤15 | ≤10 | Recently lowered in 2023 guidance |
| WHO | 0 | 0 | No safe level; risk starts with first drink |
Limit to 1 drink per hour. Alternate with water or non-alcoholic drinks.
Take at least 2-3 days off from alcohol each week.
Food slows alcohol absorption and reduces peak blood alcohol.
Decide how much you'll drink before you start.
Light beers, wine spritzers, or mocktails reduce total alcohol intake.
No. Consuming a week's worth of alcohol in one or two days (binge drinking) is more harmful than spreading drinks across the week. The liver can only process about one drink per hour.
Yes, a standard drink of any type contains roughly the same amount of pure alcohol (14g in US). A 12oz beer, 5oz wine, and 1.5oz shot all equal one standard drink.
Women typically have less body water, lower levels of alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme, and hormonal differences that affect alcohol metabolism. The same amount of alcohol results in higher blood alcohol in women.
Recent research suggests no level of alcohol is completely risk-free. However, low consumption carries minimal risk for most people. Those with certain health conditions, pregnant women, and those on certain medications should avoid alcohol entirely.
Signs include needing more to feel effects, difficulty cutting back, drinking affecting work or relationships, and continuing despite health problems. If you're concerned, take an AUDIT screening or talk to a healthcare provider.
Yes. Alcohol has 7 calories per gram (almost as much as fat). It also stimulates appetite and can lead to poor food choices. Reducing alcohol is an effective weight management strategy for many people.
In the US, a standard drink contains 14 grams of pure alcohol. This equals 12oz of 5% beer, 5oz of 12% wine, or 1.5oz of 40% spirits. Other countries use different standards (UK: 8g, Australia: 10g).
Your liver processes about one standard drink per hour. Blood Alcohol Concentration depends on weight, sex, food consumption, and drinking speed. Binge drinking overwhelms the liver's capacity.
Guidelines define low-risk drinking, not safe drinking. Any alcohol carries some risk. For certain groups (pregnancy, liver disease, certain medications), even low amounts are inadvisable.